Diane Auer Jones Joins Career Education Corporation as Vice President of External and Regulatory Affairs

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Oct 18, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Career Education Corporation (CEC) (NASDAQ: CECO), a global provider of post-secondary education programs and services, today announced the hiring of Diane Auer Jones as vice president of external and regulatory affairs.

Jones served as assistant secretary for post-secondary education in the U.S. Department of Education from 2007 to 2008 during the administration of President George W. Bush. She joins CEC from Washington Campus, a non-profit organization that educates business leaders about the federal policy-making process.

Originally trained as a molecular biologist, Jones began her career as a laboratory director and community college biology professor. She has worked for the National Science Foundation and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and also served as Princeton University's director of government affairs.

Her diverse post-secondary education includes both a master's degree in applied molecular biology as well as professional massage training at a career college. That array of education has supported her similarly diverse work history, which includes careers in academia, public policy, and health and wellness.

"Diane's wide-ranging experience is rooted in her years as an educator at a community college, preparing students for careers in healthcare fields and laboratory research. From her Ivy League experiences to working as a massage therapist based on training she received at a career college, Diane appreciates the opportunities education affords at many levels," said Gary E. McCullough, president and chief executive officer. "I'm confident she will help open dialog with education and governmental leaders on how career-focused private sector education is critical to our success as a nation."

Jones joins CEC today and will be based in Washington, D.C.

About Career Education Corporation

The colleges, schools and universities that are part of the Career Education Corporation ("CEC") family offer high-quality education to a diverse student population of more than 116,000 students across the world in a variety of career-oriented disciplines. The approximately 90 campuses that serve these students are located throughout the U.S. and in France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Monaco, and offer doctoral, master's, bachelor's and associate degrees and diploma and certificate programs. Approximately 40 percent of CEC's students attend the web-based virtual campuses of American InterContinental University, Colorado Technical University, International Academy of Design & Technology and Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.

CEC is an industry leader whose brands are recognized globally. Those brands include, among others, American InterContinental University ("AIU"); Brooks Institute; Colorado Technical University ("CTU"); Harrington College of Design; INSEEC Group ("INSEEC") Schools, including the International University of Monaco ("IUM"); International Academy of Design & Technology ("IADT"); Istituto Marangoni; Le Cordon Bleu North America ("LCB"); and Sanford-Brown Institutes and Colleges. Through our schools, CEC is committed to providing quality education, enabling students to graduate and pursue rewarding career opportunities.

For more information, see CEC's website at www.careered.com. The website includes a detailed listing of individual campus locations and web links to CEC's colleges, schools, and universities. CEC does not guarantee employment or salary.